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Special Operations

GAO Advises Slowdown of Armed Overwatch Until SOCOM Justifies Number of Aircraft Needed

Frank Wolfe

Friday, December 15th, 2023

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GAO Advises Slowdown of Armed Overwatch Until SOCOM Justifies Number of Aircraft Needed

The L3Harris Technologies AT-802U Sky Warden is to support U.S. Special Operations Command missions, including those now performed by the Pilatus U-28A Draco, pictured here (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) advises DoD to slow the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Armed Overwatch program until the command and DoD justify the need for 75 planned L3Harris Technologies' [LHX] AT-802U Sky Warden aircraft or some other number. On July 31 last year, SOCOM awarded L3Harris a contract worth up to $3 billion for Armed Overwatch (Defense Daily, Aug. 1, 2022). Under the contract, L3Harris is to build 75 AT-802U Sky Wardens through July 2029. SOCOM wants four squadrons…

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